The Nordic Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry
by Skindstad
Summary: This is the story about a girl in the Scandinavian school for young witches and wizards. The story takes place the same years where Harry Potter attends Hogwarts. We'll hear about this boywholived from another point of view and the life at the Academy.
1. Chapter 1

This is a story where you can take part in. All you need to do is fill out the form below and send it to me and you can get a part in the story. The first 8 questions are for your sorting and the rest is for me to get an idea of your character. There can be made changes, but I'll do my best to use your information.

Sorting

Happy, Sad, Angry or Everything at the same time?:  
Mars, Sun, Moon or Jupiter?:  
If you should describer youself with three words then what would that be?:  
Favourite letter:  
Favourite number:  
Ruby, Opal, Sapphire or Crystal?:  
Gillyweed, Monkshood, Cloth-of-Gold or Catmint?:

As for the character part please fill out this.

Character Name:   
Character's age/birthday/year:  
Nationality:   
Gender:   
Heritage (Pure blood, muggleborn, etc):  
Do you have any brothers/sisters? Write if they go at the school as well, which year etc.:  
Your magical skills:  
And what are you not good at:   
Appearance:   
Your personality:   
Family:  
History:   
Other information you want to have in the story:

**Character list**

**Skindstad** – Susie Blue

**From HPANA**

**Silhouette** - Jan Muur  
**TheDanishWitch** - Abelone Sunniva  
**TheDanishStudent** - Christina Lindbæk  
**Dobby's Friend** - Didrik the House-Elf  
**Arfalaswen** - Colette Talvi  
**Em-Syd** - Sydney Dancocks  
**Pigwidgeon---** - Anna Lockclaw  
**Prawg** - Trym Grodjevik  
**Someone** - Professor Roberto Spottedhorse

**Omudeor** – Nita Lumi

**From this place**

**Demolitionxlovers** – Amara

**CaptainJackandSiriusBlack** – Serena

**Master Bates V2** – Teraphas Black

**Chapter 1 – Magic Alley**

It was early and you could hear the birds singing outside the window. The sun had started its trip up over the horizon. Susie lied in her bed. She had been awake for a couple of minutes now. She had a dreamy look on her face, today she was going to Magic Alley with her mom. They were going to buy her things for school. Susie had received her letter from The Nordic Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry a couple of days ago, she had been looking forward to the day she could leave for school for the first time and this year was the year. Susie was an 11 year old girl with long dark blond hair, she was a little chubby, but she liked the way she looked. So far she had went at the school in a little village near by. Her dad was a Muggle farmer and her mother a witch. Susie had two older siblings, a brother who was a farmer, he didn't turn out to be a wizard, neither was Susie's older sister. Her mom had been worrying if any of her children would show any magic signs, but when Susie turned three, she had flair for magic. Susie's mom could her potions and then she could run the house with a straight wand. The house was always clean, clothes were folded right, she could clean, cook and knit all at the same time. Susie was very proud of her mom and looked up to her, she thought her mom was the coolest witch, and then again she didn't know many witches and wizards. Her mom didn't socialize much with other witches and she came from a Muggle home herself, all though there had been some talk about Susie's grandmother should come from a very influent wizard family.

Susie could hear her parents get up and she decided to do the same. She got dressed and went downstairs to get some breakfast. Her mom already stood in the kitchen making coffee and washing some dishes.  
"Morning Susie, are you ready for today?" her mom asked.  
"Yes I am, when do we leave?"  
"We leave at 10, so we have a couple of hours before we go, you know where the list is, right?" Susie's mom asked.  
"Yes it's upstairs, so how is Magic Alley?" Susie asked. She had never been there, every time her mom went, she wasn't allowed, but this time she could come and she couldn't' wait.  
"You'll see," her mom said with a smile on her face. Susie ate her breakfast and before she knew it, it was time to go. Susie and her mom left the house and began to walk up the long track, and then they reached to a field on their right hand which they had to cross. There walked a couple of cows around on the field, which belonged to Susie's dad. There was a little forest ahead and it was where they were going. They looked around to see if anyone was watching them, but there wasn't so they went into the forest. Right in the middle was a big oak with a big hole in it.  
"We have to walk through the hole," Susie's mom said. And so they did and they were in Magic Alley.

Susie couldn't believe it. The street was magnificent with all the shops.   
"There, is where we buy your school robes, but first we have to go to Gringotts," Susie's mom said. The street was already packed with kids and their parents. Susie caught a glimpse of a witch who looked through a window, which belonged to the Museum of Magic. Susie caught conversations between witches and wizards from Norway and Sweden and a couple walked by talking in a language she couldn't understand, and then she started wondering.  
"Mom? At the school, how do we understand each other when we speak different languages?" Susie asked and looked up at her mother, who smiled.  
"In English, all lessons are in English," her mom said. Susie looked terrified. English! She couldn't speak English, well not much anyway. Her mom saw the expression in Susie's face and said.   
"Don't worry, many of the new students can't speak much English, but it will come, besides you'll get help, you'll see," Susie's mom said and took her hand. They arrived to Gringotts, a huge white building. They were welcomed by a goblin that opened the door for them. When they stepped in it was like stepping into a big cathedral. 

After they had made a withdrawal they went down the street across the big market place. They past a big dancing lollipop in front of a candy shop. Next to the candy shop was the apothecary, where her mom bought Susie a starting kit for potion classes.  
"I should have given you one sooner, but now it's as good a time as ever," said Susie's mom, when they walked out of the shop. When they had been in both the wand and the cauldron shop it was almost lunch time. They went down the street to a café called The Flying Broomstick. There they ate lunch while her mom told about the different shops and up the street past the Ministry of Magic was the passageway to Sweden and Finland and the other way was Norway. If you turned the corner at the joke shop and walked up the street you came to the place where you could get to Iceland.  
"Magic Alley is where everyone meets, you know my old potion teacher live in Magic Alley. I had old Mrs. Haug, she was the best teacher I had, why I loved potion when I went to school," said Susie's mom. After a little while they went on and bought the rest of Susie's things and then it was home. They walked through the wall from where they had come and came out of the tree near Susie's home and home they went, Susie couldn't wait for tomorrow when she was leaving for school.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Unicorn

It wasn't even light outside, but it was time for Susie to go. She had barely closed an eye during the night because of the excitement. Susie said goodbye to her dad who couldn't leave the farm and then off she went with her mother. They had to go while it was still dark, so the Muggles couldn't see them. They couldn't lift the big trunk by themselves, so her mom had to use magic, so the trunk floated in front of them. They had to go the same way as the day before as the Scandinavian kids had to leave from Magic Alley. The two of them went through the big oak and went straight into Magic Alley.

"Come, the ship is leaving soon," Susie's mom said.

"Where is this ship, there isn't even a pond around here," Susie said.

"There is water below us," her mother said and then she hurried up the street with Susie trying to keep up behind her. They turned left and past Gringotts on the corner and at the end of the street to the left was a huge door where it said 'Ministry of Magic'. There were other parents who came running, with their kids trying to keep up with them. Out from the end wall of the street stepped witches, wizards and kids some in Muggle clothing others in their blue school robes. Susie and her mom went inside the Ministry and it was huge. On the left were several fireplaces and out came more people. On their right was several lifts.

"Come we leave the trunk in the Atrium and then we take the lift down," Susie's mom said. They left Susie's trunk with a young wizard who took it over to a huge pile of trunks and cages with owls and cats. A wizard was arguing with a witch over a girl's pygmy-puff.

"Every creature has to go through control," the wizard said.

"For crying out loud it's only a pygmy-puff," the witch said, "but okay I don't want to cause any problems. Anna you have to give Pippi to that man." The girl who stood next to the witch didn't look very pleased with giving up her pygmy-puff.

"You'll get it back soon," said the wizard and took the little creature. Susie and her mom went over to the lifts; there was one where 20 people were crushed together. Susie and her mom took one where only a girl and her parents were standing. They looked all three a bit nervous.

"Hi there," Susie's mom said.

"Hello," the girls dad said.

"First time I expect," Susie's mom asked.

"Yes it is, we didn't even know anything like this existed," the girl's mother said.

"Oh Muggles, fantastic." Then they were interrupted by a group of people who came into the lift. Susie was pushed over in the corner and then the lift went down. People rushed out of the lift when it had stopped. Susie followed her mom out of the lift.

When Susie stepped out it was an amazing vision. It was a dock and not far away was a huge ship with a unicorn head at the front.

"Wow," Susie heard someone say behind her, she turned and it was the girl from the lift. The girl stood with big eyes, open mouth and looked at the ship.

"It's huge," she said to her parents. Then she was interrupted by a loud voice. Everyone looked around, but they couldn't see the one who was talking.

"Attention please. There is 10 minutes to departure, all students please go on board," a female voice said. Then it struck Susie, she was going away and she wouldn't see her parents the next couple of months. She gave her mom a big hug.

"It will be okay, send us an owl when you have arrived, okay," her mom said. Susie nodded; she had a big lump in her throat and couldn't speak. Then her mom gave her a hug and shoved her towards the ship.

Susie went onboard; she didn't know where to go, so she decided to follow the older students. When she was about to get in she was stopped by an older boy.

"Hey you can't go in here it's for prefects only, you have to take the next cabin," said the boy. Susie blushed, now she was really confused, but she couldn't stand there all day so she moved on and tried the other cabin, but the kids in there said she couldn't sit there either. She had almost been around the whole ship when she finally found a cabin where no one sat in. So she walked inside. It was big; Susie took a seat near the window so she could look out. She had never been on a ship before and she was worried if she would get sea sick. She didn't sit alone for long before more students came in. It was the girl from the lift who came in.

"Hi again, okay if I sit in here, there isn't room anywhere else," the girl said.

"Yeah it's fine by me. I'm Susie."

"Nice to meet you Susie, I'm Christina," the girl said. Christina was quite good looking with her blond hair. She was taller than Susie and a bit thinner, not that Susie was fat, but she wasn't thin either. They weren't alone for long, just as Christina had sit opposite Susie the cabin door opened and in came a small group of kids all looked like they didn't know where to go.

"Can we sit in here, it's packed everywhere else," one of them said. It was a boy with a great big smile on his face.

"Yeah come on in," said Christina.

"Hi I'm Trym, I'm from Norway," said the boy, still smiling and gave the two girls hand. Then they all introduced to each other. There was Jan from Finland, Susie couldn't stop looking at his long hair and was a little nervous about him, and she thought he didn't look too pleasant to be around. Then there was Abelone, Susie couldn't place it but there was something about that girl. Then there was Colette also from Finland, she was a bit shorter than Susie and then she had blond hair that went down to her waist. At first Susie thought, Colette's eyes were black, but it was only because the pupils were so big, but in fact she had blue eyes. The last girl was Anna also from Denmark, it was the same girl who had to give up her pygmy-puff, but it looked like she had gotten it back as it was placed on her shoulder.

"This is Pippi," said Anna.

"Oh she's so cute," said Susie, "can I touch it?"

"Yeah, sure," Anna said. Susie stroked the little creature and it was the softest thing she had ever touched.

They were interrupted by the same female voice from before.

"Everyone please take their seat, we'll be diving in one minute.

"Diving!" Susie said with horror in her voice. It was bad enough with sailing, but actually go under water and the ship wasn't exactly a submarine.

"Don't worry," Colette said, "the ship is bewitched, so it's quite safe, besides it will go faster this way." Susie wasn't that sure what to believe, she looked out of the window. The ship cracked and squeaked when it began to dive. Soon they were under water. Susie felt like the walls came closer, she hated being locked in like that.

"Are you okay, Susie," Anna asked and looked concerned at Susie.

"Yeah, I'm fine; I just don't like being locked in like this."

"Well put your head between your legs if you feel sick," Anna said.

It felt like they had been under water forever, so when they finally came up to the surface, Susie was relieved. When she looked out there wasn't sight of land anywhere only water.

"Hey, anyone want to go outside?" Trym asked.

"Yeah I'll go, I need some fresh air," Susie said. Anna and Colette followed as well. It was great to get outside. The wind was cooling, but it wasn't easy to see anything as the ship hit a bank of fog.

"Oh we'll be there soon, we've hit the fog," Colette said. Then she explained that the school and island was hidden in the fog.

"Then we better get changed," said Anna. The four of them went back to their cabin. The kids changed to their blue school robes and Colette was right they soon arrived to the island where the school was.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – The Nordic Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The ship sailed into a dark cave and the lights in the cabins began to shine as it was dark. Susie tried to look out, but she couldn't see anything, but then she thought it began to get lighter and then the ship past a torch on the cave wall, then another and another.

"Cool," Trym said when he saw the torches. It was a magnificent sight; the water reflected the torches' light so the cave almost looked like a green shimmering room. Then the ship arrived to the dock.

"We've now arrived to the Isle of Amon, all students are asked to go off board, your belongings will be brought up to the castle" said the female voice. Everyone began to go out on deck and off board.

"First years! First Years," a tall man said. His complexion was dark and didn't look like a Scandinavian, "follow me please." All the first years followed the man through a tunnel and up in the cold wind. Susie soon felt like she was going around inside a freezer, she hadn't put her cloak on, which she regretted terribly. Then they saw the school as they came around a big cliff, it was a castle, but not like any castle, Susie had ever seen.

"Wow!" she heard Trym say behind her. And she thought the same, it wasn't just a castle it was a castle made of ice. The castle shimmered in the light from the moon and the torches there were placed around the school grounds. It was a pretty good walk and the closer they got the more impressive the castle was. It was bigger than any of the castles, Susie had seen, she had thought Amalienborg Castle was big, when she had visited Copenhagen with her parents, but this one was five times as big. There were five towers one on each corner and then one sticking up in the middle.

The first year students and the man arrived to the castle and they walked through the big ice doors into a magnificent hall, where torches were lit. Susie had thought it would be cold inside the castle, but it was pretty warm inside. The man stopped and turned around to look at all the pupils.

"Welcome to the Nordic Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, this is where you'll be going for the next seven years. In a moment we'll be going into the Ice Hall where you'll be sorted into your houses. Please wait here for a moment," the man said and went through a door to the right. When the man was gone, everyone began to whisper to each other.

"How can it be, it's so warm in here when the castle is made of ice," Susie heard a boy ask.

"You don't think we are going to do something special for this sorting, like a test or something," she heard another say. Then they heard a slight cough. The man was back.

"Okay, follow me," the man said. They went towards another ice door and before they had reached it, it opened. The Great Hall was even more beautiful the hall was. It was bigger and there were five large tables. First were the four house tables and at the other end was the teacher's table. Susie felt a little uncomfortable with all the students at the tables looking at them. Susie looked up and for a second she thought it had suddenly been day, but it couldn't be. Then she heard someone say that the ceiling was bewitched so it always looked like it was sunny as it in the winter would be very dark most of the time. Over each of the house tables was each house banner waving and over the teacher's table was the school banner waving.

"Please line up here," said the man when they had reached a small podium between the student's tables and the teacher's table. Then a door opened on their right and in came an old man with a hat, but not any hat, Susie had seen before, the hat had horns, she almost began to laugh, it looked so strange. It was a mix between a Viking helmet and a witch's hat.

"When your name is mentioned, please stand up on the podium and I'll put this hat on your head, it will then sort you to into one of the four houses, which is Arctos, Cygneus, Cetus or Lupinus," said the man. Susie was in shock, she was going to get that hat on, she would look ridiculous with that on, she looked around and she wasn't the only one who had thought the same thing. She just hoped she wouldn't be the first to go up there, but unfortunately she was.

"Susie Blue!" the man said. Susie felt like she was about to disappear through the floor, she walked slowly up to the podium where the man was standing. When she looked up, he gave her a little smile and then he put on the hat. At first nothing happened, but then she could hear a voice in her ear.

"Okay, this is interesting, well there is only one place for you," the voice said and then she heard the name Arctos yelled out. The table to the far right began to clap and she walked down to the table of the Arctos. She was met with a lot of happy faces who said welcome when she came and sat down. She sat down next to a girl, Susie gave the girl a smile, but the girl just nodded and turned her head to look up at the podium. Several first years then followed, a girl named Sydney Dancock was sorted into the house of the Cetus, before long Christina had to go up, she looked like she was facing death, but soon after the hat yelled Arctos and she came down and sat next to Susie. Next was Anna, she was sorted to Cygneus. After Anna was another girl, Nita Lumi, Susie thought she didn't look like a first year, the girl looked very fragile. She sat on the stool for some time before she was sorted to Arctos. Susie heard a boy further down the table, say yes, and then she heard some of the students laugh. The boy who hadn't said much on the trip to the school, Jan, was sorted to the House of Cygneus. Then a couple of other students were sorted before it was Abelone's turn, she had to sit there for more than five minutes before the hat yelled Cetus, then it was Colette's turn and she was soon sorted to Arctos. After the last pupils had been sorted, a plum man stood up. He coughed a little to get the students to be quiet, but not until a strict looking woman to his right had yelled, there was quiet.

"Thank you Edel. Welcome to a new year here at the Academy and welcome to the new students as well. Before we eat, there are a couple of messengers. First years have to remember that the Isle of Agrona is forbidden and this goes for the rest of the students as well. If you wish to sign up for Quidditch please tell your Head of House, everyone can sign up except from first years. This is all and now we eat," the man said and sat down again. Then suddenly the tables were filled with food, Susie hadn't seen anything like this. There was mashed potatoes, and further down the table was what looked like a sheep's head, there were meat balls, steaks and many other dishes. When they all had finished they were ordered to bed. The first years had to follow their house prefect.

The castle was huge, Susie felt like they were walking forever before they reached a painting of a great big polar bear, it looked up when they came walking. The prefect said the password which was 'Icecube', behind the painting was a big hole. The common room was great; there was tapestry on the walls in blue and white colours. The big blue armchairs looked so soft.

"This is the North tower, your common room; up the stairs are your dormitories. Boys on the left and girls on the right," said the prefect, "the Head of House is Professor Spottedhorse, oh and I better say, don't be afraid of the ghosts they are usually very friendly, the house ghost is William the Wild, don't' let the name fool you, he's the sweetest thing, anyway it's time for you to go to bed, so goodnight everyone and welcome to the Academy." Then they were off to bed, they were only four girls, Susie, Colette, Christina and Nita.

"This is some place," Susie said when they were getting ready for bed.

"Yeah, my brother has told me a lot about it, I've only seen a picture of it, but I hadn't expected it would be this big," said Colette.

"Oh you have a brother who goes here as well?" Christina asked.

"Yeah, Joonatan, he's second year, Arctos as well," Colette said and put on her pyjamas.

"It's Nita right? I'm Susie," Susie said and tried to make eye contact with Nita, but she seemed very busy with putting her clothes away. Then the girl looked up.

"Yeah it's Nita." The two other girls introduced themselves as well.

"Where're you from? I'm from Denmark, so is Christina and Colette is from Finland," Susie said.

"I'm from Finland myself," Nita said and went to bed.

"Well I'm off to bed as well, after all we have our first lessons tomorrow," said Colette and turned in as well. Susie went up to Christina who was about to get into bed as well.

"What do you think is wrong with Nita, she's not that talkative," Susie said.

"Oh, she's probably missing her parents or something, which reminds me, I have to remember to write to mine tomorrow," Christina said and got into bed. Then they all said goodnight, but Susie had a hard time falling asleep, so many impressions flew around in her head, but it didn't go long before she slowly closed her eyes and dreamed about ice castles and doors that wouldn't open.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – The First Day

"Get up Susie or you will be late," Susie heard someone say far away. She didn't want to get up, she lay so softly, it was like floating on a cloud, but then someone shook her.

"Get up!" Susie opened her eyes, it had been Christina who had been calling and now shaking her. Christina had her blue school robes on and a school bag over her shoulder. Susie woke up at once, had she overslept.

"What time is it?" Susie asked and looked around; there was only her and Christina in the room.

"It's almost 8, you have 30 minutes to get dressed and get some breakfast. We all overslept, I've been calling for 5 minutes, but you were completely gone. The two others went down for breakfast, so come on get a move on or you'll be late for the first lesson," Christina said and went downstairs. Susie hurried up and 10 minutes later she entered the Ice Hall. The banners over the tables waved as she entered, the Great Hall was filled with students more or less done with their breakfast. Susie went over to Arctos' table.

"Taking your beauty sleep I see," Colette said and moved to make room for Susie.

"Yeah, I guess I was really far away, hehehe," Susie said and put some marmalade on her toast.

"I wonder when we get our timetable," said Christina and just as she said that a piece of paper appeared in front of her, she looked stunned and looked up if any other had gotten a piece of paper and so they had. Susie's had landed on her half eaten toast and was all sticky on the back of the marmalade from the toast.

"Great just great, this isn't my day," Susie said and tried to get the marmalade off the paper.

"We are going to have History of Magic in the two first lessons," said Colette with a frown.

"What's wrong?" Christina asked and looked wondering at Colette.

"This means we are going to have Professor Leeve," Colette said and turned her head up towards the teacher's table. Susie looked up at the table, the only teacher who sat there, was the one who had yelled for silence the night before.

"Who is she?" Christina asked.

"She's pure evil," Nita said.

"She can't be that bad," Susie said.

"Trust me, she can, well from what I've heard she can torture the best student if she wants," Nita said.

"Torture! You mean like hurting people?" Susie asked and looked with shock at Nita.

"Nooo, mentally, my brother can't stand her, you know there are rumours that she was you know a Death Eater," Nita said.

"What is a Death Eater?" Susie looked puzzled. Her mom hadn't really told her anything about the magic world, so she could just as well have been Muggle born.

"Well the Death Eaters were working for a really bad wizard who lived many years ago, they tortured and killed people. The wizard then tried to kill a little boy years ago, but instead he died himself," Colette said.

"Wow, glad he's dead then," said Christina. The girls didn't have time to talk more as the bell rang.

"Oh it's time, ehhh where is the history class do you think?" Susie asked and looked at the other girls.

"It's on the third floor," said Nita. Then the girls followed the other students out of the Great Hall.

When they finally reached the class they couldn't get in as the door was locked.

"Why's the door locked?" Susie heard Trym ask, he tried and takes the handle, but the door didn't want to open.

"It's to keep you little maggots out of the classroom," a loud voice said behind the group of students. They all turned and there stood their teacher.

"20 point from Arctos," said the woman. Trym looked petrified at the woman.

"Why? He was just asking, he didn't do anything," said Christina.

"Better be careful or you will loose 20 more, Miss Lindbæk," the professor said. She went over to the door and opened it. Christina was about to say her opinion, but Trym took her arm and shook his head and whispered.

"Let it go."

The students went inside and sat down. The professor went up to her desk.

"Sit down quickly, this isn't a nursing home," she said. Then she took out her wand and pointed at the blackboard and on it was written Professor Edel Vita Irene Leeve, History of Magic teacher.

"Well as you can see I've got the not so flattering job to teach you youngsters in History of Magic, you have of course all bought the necessary books for this term and we'll be starting out with the basics as it is required, so some of you who don't know a dragon dung about what our community is about and the history behind it, so turn up on chapter 1 in The Nordic Academy – A History. This chapter is about the four founders of this school, who can tell me who they are?" Professor Leeve said. The students were all stunned and no one had thought about raising their hands until Nita, who sat next to Colette put up her hand.

"Yes, girl don't just sit there waving your hand, speak up," the professor said.

"It's Tomas Tomason, Kristina Kidíer, Margrethe Markusdatter and Sven Svenson," Nita said quickly. Professor Leeve didn't look pleased of the fact that someone actually could answer the question.

"That is unhappily correct, but don't expect any points for this. As no one else could answer the question you all now have to read chapter one, so go on, the book won't read itself," the professor said and sat down behind the desk. The students found their books out, some whispered while they did it, which they shouldn't have.

"20 points from Miss Sunniva and Miss Dancock, each. I don't tolerate any form of noise," the professor said and looked angry at the two girls who had been whispering to each other. Christina who sat next to Susie was almost ready to explode.

"Keep it cool, Christina," Susie whispered, but she should have shut her mouth.

"20 points from Miss Blue as well, now read," the professor said. Christina made a hissing sound and was close to jump up, but she sat still. Arctos had already lost 60 points within 10 minutes. The students began to read in the book and it ended up in reading the rest of the two lessons. Before they were allowed to leave they got homework. Two rolls of parchment about chapter one and two. The students went out very angry and everyone hated the teacher.

"I hate her; she's the meanest woman I've ever met," Christina said, "taking 20 points for whispering it's absurd, I don't know if I can be quiet if it happens again." Susie didn't like the teacher either, but she liked the reading in the book, she already knew a lot about the founders. Especially Tomas Tomason, who sounded really interesting. He was the one who was behind the House of the Arctos.

"What is our next class?" Susie asked. She had been looking for her time table, but she couldn't find it, she was about to think if she had forgotten it at the table in the Ice Hall.

"Mmmmm, it's Defence Against the Dark Arts," Colette said. So of they went to the Defence Against the Dark Arts class. The door stood wide open; when they entered no one was in there, so the students sat down quietly.

"Good morning class, why the long faces?" a male voice said behind them, all turned as one and there stood the man who had leaded them to the school the night before.

"Mr. Grodjevik why the long faces?" the man said.

"Oh we've just had History of Magic, not what we had expected," Trym said.

"Ah yes, professor Leeve, she is a sweetheart don't you think," the professor said and he laughed when he saw the student's surprised faces, "just kidding, well out with your books and let's begin." That class was amazing, the teacher talked most of the lesson about what Defence against the Dark Arts was and about the evil wizard who was killed 10 years ago. When the lesson ended it was lunch time. So they all went down to the Ice Hall. Just as they had sat down owls came in through the windows with packages and packages.

"Oh shoot I haven't written my parents yet, I better do that after school," Christina said when she saw all the owls. Susie who sat with her back to the House of the Cetus table heard a lot of whisper, she turned and she saw a group of Cetus students around the Dancock girl who had lost 20 points.

"Cool, I wish I went to Hogwarts," a boy said, "I wonder how he looks, I wonder how he killed You-Know-Who."

"No one knows," the Dancock girl said. Susie was curious who they talked about.

"Eh who are you talking about?" Susie asked. The girl looked up and smiled.

"Hehehe, got a letter from my sister, she's a fifth year at Hogwarts, she writes that Harry Potter has started at Hogwarts this year," the girl said.

"Who is Harry Potter?" Susie asked. The students looked at her like she had fallen down from the moon.

"You don't know who Harry Potter is? Everyone know who that is," the boy who had talked before, said.

"I don't know who Harry Potter is either," Christina said.

"Harry Potter is the one who killed You-Know-Who," Colette said. The other students nodded.

"And now he's started at Hogwarts, I think I'll write back to my sister and ask her all about it. Oh I'm Sydney by the way, Sydney Dancock," the girl said. They spent the rest of their lunch talking about everything from Harry Potter to Professor Leeve.

After lunch they had two more lessons, which was herbology. It was a weird class or it was more the teacher who was weird. She was a little elderly woman with purple hair and in purple robes. During the whole class she ran around between the students. You weren't aloud to do a thing when she was around, because she did all the work for you and when the bell rang, they were all glad to get out of the greenhouse.

"You know she's married to the headmaster, she really know her things about herbology, but she's not good at teaching," Nita said when they walked back to the ice castle. It was windy and cold and all though it was September they could feel the winter coming soon.

"Anyone up for a little walk before we start on the homework?" Susie asked.

"Uh that would be nice, we've been cooped up all day," Colette said. They went up to their dormitories with their bags. When they came back down they met Sydney, Anna and Abelone in the entrance hall.

"Hey are you on your way out as well," Christina asked.

"Yeah we want to go down to the beach, all though it's not the weather to it, but it will be nice with some fresh ocean air," Anna said. The seven girls walked down to the beach. With the waves hitting the big rocks, Susie looked out over the ocean she could only see water, but then she saw something that looked like an island.

"What is that?" Susie asked and pointed towards the island.

"That's the forbidden island or the Isle of Agrona as it's called as well," Nita said and looked at the island.

"Why is it forbidden?" Christina asked.

"Because there live many dangerous creatures over there," a voice behind them said. When they turned three girls stood behind them. They looked to be second years and very different from each other. One had black hair, looked like she came from Asia, the other had dirty-blonde hair and blue-green eyes, the third girl was tall and had brown hair.

"Hi, sorry if we scared you, you are new right, welcome to the Nordic, I'm Vilja, this is Serena and Amara," the girl with the brown hair said.

"Why is an island filled with dangerous creatures so close to a school?" Susie asked.

"Oh never try and understand the mind of the Ministry of Magic, they don't know how to tie their own shoes," the asian girl called Amara said.

"Well it was nice to meet you, but we better head back to school," Vilja said and the girls turned and went back to the castle.

"We should do the same, on their way back they caught up with the three girls from before they had stopped and looked at five boys who ran towards the place from where the first year students had come up the night before.

"Should we say it to the teachers, I don't trust them and poor Martin, he wouldn't stand a chance against them," they heard the girl Serena said.

"What's wrong?" Colette asked.

"Oh it is four, fifth years from Lupinus who has chased a boy called Martin from Cetus down the caves. They are always after him; he can't really stand up for himself," Amara said.

"Can you blame him, they are twice as big as he is and he's one against four," Serena said.

"I think we should tell the Head of Cetus," Vilja said, "I have a bad feeling that this could end wrong if it keep on going like this."

The girls went back, Serena, Vilja and Amara knocked on the door to the teacher's room, while the seven other girls continued. The four girls from Arctos said goodbye to the three others when they reached the hall that lead them to their common room. Back in the common room it was hard to find a space where they could sit. Every cushion, chair and table was taken, so the girls decided to go down to the library.

"Why do people all study at the same time, it's hard to find a place to sit," someone said when they entered the library. It was Trym who stood next to the quiet boy from the day before, Jan. They looked around to find a free table.

"Anything free?" Colette asked. The boys turned around.

"Doesn't look like it, hey there is one. I think there is room for us all," Nita said and pointed down an aisle, at the end was a big table. The first years hurried down and took it in front of two other students who muttered and went away to look for another table.

"They should seriously set up some more tables, so everyone can have a place to sit," Christina said and slammed her bag down on the table. The students around shushed at her and she got bright red of embarrassment.

"Sorry, hehehe," Christina said and sat down quietly.

"Hey what about taking History of Magic first?" Susie asked and was about to take her Nordic Academy – A History out of her bag.

"No way, I just want to forget that subject at the moment, I can't believe that a woman like that is teaching," Christina said and took up her Defence Against the Dark arts book up.

"We are not having History of Magic until tomorrow," Jan said and took up his Defence Against the Dark Arts book as well.

"Well good luck, luckily we don't have her until Wednesday, Colette said, "all though that is soon enough."

They began to study and sat in the library until supper, and then they went down to the Ice Hall and ate.

After dinner some returned to their homework. Christina went up to the girls' dormitories and wrote a letter to her parents. Others sat in the common room talking. Susie decided that this was the opportunity to read a little bit in Nordic Academy – A History. She read something about the Arctos' founder Tomas Tomason.

_**Tomas Tomason**_

_Tomason was the first born and came from Iceland. His father was a very powerful wizard and sat in the wizard court at that time. Tomason's mother was Gudrun Gudmunsdottíer the witch who invented the self-cleaning mirror. Tomas Tomason was a big guy and looked like a big polar bear with his almost white hair and when he was a full-grown man he grew a big white beard that almost covered his face. Tomas was a kind man, but if he got mad he could be heard miles away with his yelling and he would sound like a bear who roared. People were afraid of him, not that he had a short temper, but he could quickly get angry if there was something he thought wasn't right. It wasn't a surprise either when he succeeded to do an animagus that it would be a polar bear. He often used his identity as a polar bear instead of his human form, he liked to be alone up north away from the humans and just __walk around on the ice. It also meant that he never really settled down and got a family. _

_Tomason was a brilliant wizard and mastered transfiguration to perfection; he also enjoyed the mystery behind arithmancy and potions. He also enjoyed doing charms. Tomason lived a long life and died at the age of 135 a cold winter's night and until then he had been a big part in the school's success. _

Before Susie could go on to the founder of the Lupinus, she was interrupted. It was Trym who came and sat next to her.

"I can't believe you read that book, do you like the subject?" Trym asked.

"Yes I do, but I don't like the teacher," Susie said and closed the book.

"Well I've decided that History of Magic isn't my subject, hehehe, I fall asleep, I actually had a good nap during the lessons, I just don't hope I start to snore, I don't want to loose 20 points, hehehe," Trym said and laughed.

"What are you two laughing at?" It was Vilja, who had just entered the common room.

"Oh it's Professor Leeve," Susie said.

"Ahhh nasty woman, don't look forward to second year, you think the homework is bad on first year, just wait until next year," Vilja said.

"Hey how did it go with telling the teacher about that boy," Susie asked.

"They will look into it, but I know these guys, they are up to no good and I'm afraid that Martin will suffer, on the way up I heard that the boys have dared Martin to go over to the Forbidden Island, but I don't know if it's true," Vilja said and looked worried.

"But why don't the boys get kicked out or something?" Susie said.

"Are you crazy, the boys have very important parents, it would mean big trouble for the headmaster, but then again, it would make Professor Leeve happy, she really wants to be headmistress, actually she sort of already is. The headmaster only cares about his roses," Vilja said, "I'm sad to call myself Swedish with a Headmaster like that."

"Oh you're from Sweden, cool, hey I've been thinking, how come we all can understand each other, I've wondered about that?" Susie asked.

"Wow I thought you already knew that, hehehe, it's a spell they have cast over the school and its grounds and on the Unicorn as well, so you are able to understand each other no matter language you speak," Vilja said.

"Cool," Susie said.

"Well I better turn in, it's been a tough day," Trym said and got up. He said goodnight and went upstairs.

"I better turn in as well, we have history of magic tomorrow morning," Vilja said and smiled. Susie decided to go to bed as well, she was tired, it had been such an interesting day and it was like her head rotated. No one was in the dormitories yet, so Susie went straight to bed. When the others came up, she was already sleeping.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 - The Quidditch Try-Outs

The week was over before it even began, or so Susie felt. Susie loved the school and when Friday came she was almost sad that the weekend was only a couple of hours away. Susie loved all the teachers, except from the History of Magic teacher, but she wasn't the only one, no one liked her not even the Headmaster, he always got this funny look on his face when Professor Leeve was around. During their history lesson Thursday, she gave three detentions out, one to Christina, one to Trym and one to Colette, it wasn't anything bad or anything, once again Christina had complained and she got detention right away. Trym had dropped his ink bottle on the floor so it crashed and the professor immediately assumed that he had done it on purpose, which he actually had, but still. Susie didn't really know what Colette had done, maybe the professor had gotten in the detention mood that she gave it to those she didn't think sat right or didn't read quickly enough. So now the three of them had to do detention with professor Leeve all weekend.

After their last lesson Friday, Susie went up to the dormitories with her bag; she was soon after followed by the other girls, Colette, Christina and Nita.

"Weekend at last, oh what a week," Colette said and dropped her bag on her bed.

"Say that again, but remember we don't have that much weekend," Christina said and looked like she was ready to scream with anger, " I just can't believe they will let a woman like that cow teach, I just can't believe it."

"When do you start your detention?" Nita asked.

"Tomorrow morning after breakfast, she actually said she might keep us until Sunday without sleep, we should seriously think of something to get rid of her," Colette said and smashed her hand into her pillow.

"I don't think going to the Headmaster will help much, I overheard Vilja last night talking to him about that Martin fellow and the boys who are chasing him, but he just kept talking about his roses and a new species he's grown, who can sing," Susie said.

"What about the school board, maybe they will listen," Nita asked optimistic.

"Hehe, who will listen to a bunch of kids, they probably get that kind of letters everyday from students who have got a detention by one of the teachers," Colette said. The four of them was quiet for a moment.

"Well then we better make the best of it today," Susie said and got up from her bed, "I want to go out, it's a great weather for once and who knows when it changes." The three others were up for it, took their cloaks on and went downstairs.

In the hall they met a bunch of kids on their way outside, some with brooms others with gobstones and a small group had actually brought some books they could read. The weather was fantastic, the sun was shining, the birds singing and hardly any wind, it was the first time since they had arrived that the weather had been so great, but it was on borrowed time. The weather was as certain as Professor Leeve's mood, which was never good, so they had to enjoy it while it last. The winters were long and dark; sometimes it could start snowing in September and last until May. The girls hadn't really had the time to explore the island, but Susie had read in Nordic Academy: A History that the island was pretty big, there was the school grounds and then a small village called the Ice Village, which was on the other side of a big hill a couple of kilometres away.

"I wish we could visit the Ice Village," Colette said and looked dreamy at the hill they could see in the horizon.

"Yeah, they have a fantastic candy shop, better than the one they have in Magic Alley," Nita said.

"Next year we can visit the Village," a girl's voice said behind them, they turned and there was Vilja, she came towards them with another girl next to her. They had noticed her sometimes in the Arctos Common Room, but never talked to her.

"Hi Vilja, how's it going?" Christina said.

"Not bad at all, oh this is Lucy, we are on our way to the Quidditch pitch, I promised to practise with her," Vilja said. Susie now noticed they both had carried a broom.

"Are you on the Quidditch team?" Christina asked.

"No not yet, but I'm going to the try outs next weekend," Lucy said.

"Oh really what position?" Nita asked and looked utterly interested.

"Seeker, I've always wanted to be a seeker, I've practised with my brother several times, he's on the Arctos team as well," Lucy said.

"I don't think I would be good on a broom," Susie said quietly, she hated heights and just getting her feet more than an inch from the ground would make her panicking. The other girls laughed.

"But you haven't even been on a broom have you?" Vilja asked.

"No, but I hate heights," Susie said and gave Vilja a smile.

"When is you first flying lessons?" Vilja wanted to know.

"Not until next week," Colette said.

"Well good luck with that, we better get over and practise," Lucy said and the two second years went over towards the Quidditch pitch.

"I'm so going to watch the Quidditch try-out," Colette said.

"Is it open so everyone can come and watch?" Susie wanted to know.

"Yep, well from what I know anyway, don't think they've changed it," Colette said. The rest of the day, the girls spend walking around on the school grounds.

The whole weekend was Colette and Christina gone and every evening they came back with a moody look on their faces. Sunday night when they came up to the Girl's Dormitories, Christina went straight to bed and fell asleep right away.

"What is it she's making you do?" Susie wanted to know. Colette looked at Susie with empty eyes.

"She's made us clean the History of Magic room," she said.

"That wouldn't take long," Nita said and looked wondering at Colette.

"No it doesn't, but as soon we are done we have to start over and then without magic, my arms are killing me," Colette said.

The second week went quickly. The last two lessons Friday was their first flying lessons, it didn't go to well, especially for Susie. She fell off the broom every time she had managed to get the broom a couple of inches up in the air. In the end the flying teacher came over to her and took the broom away from her.

"This won't work, here," he said and gave her another broom, she looked at it and was shocked, on the handle it said: "Children's broom 5- 8 years old". Some of the other students had seen what broom it was and started to laugh. Susie went pink, it was so embarrassing. It had been the two worst lessons in her life. The broom only levitated an inch so you could almost reach the ground, but in Susie's case she stood on the ground because the broom wasn't meant for an 11 year old. That day she decided that flying lessons was her worst subject.

The next day was Quidditch try-out and the first house was Arctos. Christina, Colette, Nita and Susie went down to the Quidditch pitch to watch the try-out. The stadium was filled with students. Susie heard a boy that said there were just as many people to the try-outs as to the matches. The four girls took a seat on some of the stands in the middle. From what Susie could understand the Arctos team needed a chaser, a seeker and a goal keeper. It went pretty quickly to find the three students who should play the positions. Lucy was chosen for the seeker position, a girl called Jennifer Golden was chosen as chaser and a boy called Peter Fleming for the keeper position. After the try-outs the four girls rushed down to a very happy Lucy.

"Congrats with your position on the team," Nita said.

"Thanks, I really hadn't thought it was possible, I'm good I know, but it's very hard to get on the team," Lucy said with a big smile on her face. That evening the Arctos house had a small party to celebrate the new team mates. The captain, who was actually Lucy's brother made a long speech, which in the end was about bragging of Lucy's qualities as a seeker. Lucy just stood in a corner with a very red face and trying to get her brother down from the chair he stood on, so everyone could see him. The day had been really great and Susie couldn't wait for the first Quidditch match with the new team. That night they all fell asleep right away, it had been a fun day. The last thing Susie thought of before the fell asleep was if Arctos could win the House Cup.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – The Gobstone Club

The weeks past like crazy. Susie loved the school, she couldn't stop explore the many hallways and secret passageways. The first Saturday in October, Susie came down the stairs to the Arctos common room, she saw a small group of students looking at the notice board, and she walked over to them to see what they were looking at. When she reached the notice board, she saw a piece of parchment that had been put up.

_Gobstone Club starts new season_

_Want to get involved in our Gobstone club, well then this is your chance. We're looking for new members and of course the old members are welcome to return for our new season of the gobstone club. The Arctos Gobstone Club will during the year play tournaments against the other houses, so help Arctos get the Gobstone Cup second year in a row. Sign up below if you wish to attend. First meeting will be next Saturday._

_Stefan__ Felicis_

_Team Captain_

Susie read the note through several times, this could be something for her, she didn't know what gobstones was, but it could be fun to see if it was something for her.

"Now he's at it again," a voice said behind Susie. She turned around and saw Amara standing behind her, reading the gobstone note.

"Well they won't see me this year that's for sure," she groaned.

"You've been on the gobstone team?" Susie asked Amara.

"Yeah, tried it out last year, wasn't anything for me, but unfortunately I couldn't just leave the team, so I had to find a way to get out, so I thought up a plan, so I could get kicked out," Amara said, "and it worked, Stefan threw me off the team after I had hurt a Cygneus student during a match, I had thrown gobstones after him, Felix didn't want that so he threw me out," Amara said. Then she turned around and walked out of the common room. Susie stood back, glancing between the door where Amara disappeared through and the gobstone note. She took the quill that hang by a thread near the note and wrote her name on it.

"Ah splendid," a voice said after she had written her name. Susie turned around again and saw a third year student standing right next to her.

"Stefan is the name, Gobstone Captain for the Arctos team," he said and stretched his hand so she could shake it. She took the hand and shook it.

"Hi, Susie Blue," Susie said.

"Nice to meet you, well don't be late on Saturday, we start right after breakfast," he said before he disappeared as well. Susie decided that some breakfast would be good, so she went down to the Ice Hall.

She found Colette and Christina sitting at the Arctos table. She sat down next to Christina.

"Morning," Christina said when she saw Susie.

"Morning, where's Nita?" Susie asked, she hadn't seen her this morning.

"She went down to the owl tower, had a letter to send I think," Colette said just before she took a bite of her toast.

"Have you seen the note about the gobstone club?" Susie asked.

"Yeah, but it's nothing for me," Christina said and took another piece of toast.

"I've written myself down for the club," Susie said, looking really exited.

"Cool, I might do the same, I've thought of joining a club of some sort," Colette said.

"I think I'll settle with the charms club," Christina said and took a sip of her orange juice.

"Morning," a girl's voice said. The three girls looked up and saw Nita who had arrived.

"Morning Nita," the girls said.

"Where have you been?" Susie asked.

"Oh was down visiting Xeira," Nita said. Xeira was Nita's owl.

"Then I send a letter to my aunt, just to let her know how it's been so far," Nita said quietly and took a piece of toast and chewed on it.

"Cool," Colette said.

"We were just talking about the gobstone club, what about you, do you want to join?" Susie asked. Nita chewed a bit on her toast before she answered.

"Don't think so," Nita said, "not quite the thing for me."

When they didn't really know what else to say about the gobstone club, Colette changed to another subject.

"Have you finished your history of magic essay?" Colette asked the other girls. Christina and Nita shook their heads.

"I have, finished it last night," Susie said with a smile.

"I can't believe you do so much out of history of magic, when we have that cow for a teacher," Christina said and shook her head.

"I think I'll try and give her an empty piece of parchment, just to see her get off," Nita said thoughtful.

"Good luck, then I don't think we'll see you the next month," Colette said with a smile.

"I love history of magic," Susie said, the other girls looked shocked at her.

"Who are you?" Christina asked in disbelieve.

"No I mean it, I really love the lessons, I know Leeve is not the most pleasant person to be around."

"PLEASANT!?! She's a human eating dragon, she is," Christina said. Susie started to laugh.

"I think that'll be an improvement if she was that," Susie said. The other girls started to laugh. The kids near the quartet glanced at the four girls, when they started to get a laughing fit.

The weekend went quickly. Colette decided to give the gobstone club a go and wrote her name on the parchment, Sunday evening before she went to bed. So far it only had Susie's and Colette's name on it. When the school week had ended, it was time to focus on the gobstone club. Susie was looking forward to the first practise the next Saturday morning. So when the day arrived, she woke up early. The other girls were still asleep, so she got up quietly and got dressed. She went downstairs to get some breakfast. When she was done, Colette came through the doors to the Ice Hall and went over to the Arctos table.

"Morning, Susie," Colette said and yawned. She sat down and found some cereal and some milk.

"Do you know where the training takes place?" Colette asked after she had taken her first mouthful of cereal.

"Yeah in the empty classroom on the sixth floor," Susie said. She had asked Stefan the day before, when she ran into him in the hallway on the second floor.

"Wonder if we can take our own gobstones or we have to use the school's," Colette said.

"I don't have any, so I can't bring any if I had," Susie said. Just before Colette had finished her breakfast, the Ice Hall started to fill with students. Nita and Christina were among the students, followed by Lucy, a second year from Arctos. The three girls sat down next to Susie and Colette.

"You're up early," Christina said to Susie and Colette.

"Yeah, it is gobstone practise today," Susie said.

"Gobstone?" Lucy said and lifted her left eyebrow.

"Have you signed up for that," she said with a giggle.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Colette asked and looked rather crossly at Lucy.

"Nothing, if you like it, then fine by me, I just think it's a boring game, no action. Now if you took Quidditch, that's a game. Especially the moment, when you get the snitch," Lucy said and looked dreamy out of the window. Colette shook her head, when Lucy looked away.

"Well I think we better get going, don't you think Susie," Colette said and got up.

"Yeah, see you later guys," Susie said and walked out of the Ice Hall with Colette. They walked up to the sixth floor and found the empty classroom. When they stepped in, they saw that it didn't look like an ordinary classroom.

The classroom was long and in the other end stood a couple of students talking. One held a couple of small bags in his hands. The boy with the bags looked up, when Colette and Susie entered the room.

"Oh good, glad you could make it," the boy said. It was Stefan Felicis, the gobstones captain.

"Are we the last?" Susie asked.

"No we still missing Jonas, oh there he is," Stefan said and looked towards the door. Susie turned around and saw what looked like a fourth year student come in. He had blond hair and a rather big nose.

"Okay as we're all here, we better get started. We've gotten two new members, Colette and Susie, both first years," Stefan said and pointed at the two young girls. Susie waved shyly to the others.

"Hi everyone," Colette said.

"This is Serena, second year, Gianna here is third year and this is Jonas who's on fourth year and of course me, Felix third year and Gobstones Captain for the Arctos house," Stefan said.

"As he likes to point out," Jonas laughed. Stefan looked harshly at the other boy, but Jonas kept laughing.

"Well if we can get started," Felix said sternly. Jonas made a gesture to Stefan that showed that he could start whenever he felt like it.

"Thank you. Well have any of you played Gobstones before?" Stefan asked Colette and Susie. Susie shook her head.

"I've played a little, but not much," Colette said.

"Okay, well the others can team up, then I'll get you two started up," Stefan said. He handed out a bag to each member.

"You all get a bag of Gobstones each you can use, these are only for practise use, at each match we get a bag that's been cleared for jinx or any cheating spells there might be, so the game is played fairly," Stefan started to explain.

"Well it doesn't mean it's played fairly," Jonas said with a smirk.

"Oy, it's me who's explaining, just get started with yours, Jonas," Stefan said.

"Now where was I, oh yes. The gobstone matches are played in sets," Stefan said.

"Oh like in Tennis?" Susie asked. Stefan looked confused at her.

"Tennis? Don't know, anyway, each member of the team will play against a member from the other team. Now we play five sets, if we say team A has won 3 matches and team B has won two, team B can choose if they want to play the sixth match and go for a so called re-match. If team B wins, we start over, if the re-match doesn't get a winner, we play for sudden death, so when the team wins, the team will win the match," Stefan said.

"Sudden death?" Susie asked nervously, it did sound a bit dangerous.

"Don't worry, the worst thing that can happen is the spit from the gobstones," Stefan said.

"Oh okay," Susie said, more relaxed.

After the gobstone practise, returned Colette and Susie to the common room, there they met up with Nita and Christina, who had taken place near the fire.

"Hey, how did it go?" Christina asked when she saw the two girls come through the door to the common room.

"Not bad, although I must say that Stefan liked to talk, he spends most of the time explaining the rules and stuff, THREE TIMES!!!" Colette said and dropped down into one of the blue comfy armchairs near the fire. Christina laughed.

"Sounds like a true captain," Christina said.

"Well we have practise three times a week, we've got our first match in mid-November," Susie said.

"Cool, who do you play against?" Christina asked.

"Lupinus house," Colette said with a frown.

"Well we'll cheer for you, right Nita," Christina said and looked at Nita, who had sat quietly and listened to the conversation.

"That we'll do," she said.

"Great," Susie said with a smile.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7 – The Secret Meeting**

September and October past quickly and it was soon Halloween. The weather was getting worse. Storms were raging the island and students preferred to stay inside instead of being outside. The light slowly disappeared and it was getting darker. The students weren't allowed to be outside after seven pm. On the day of Halloween, everyone was sitting in the Ice Hall, except from one student. He was walking down the empty hallways, he didn't like the crowded Ice Hall, and he wanted to be by himself. He had been exploring the castle the last couple of months, ever since he got here. The boy was tall for his age and slim. He had dark long hair and dark eyes. His name was Jan Muur. He went by the doors that lead into the Ice Hall; he could hear the other students talk and laugh. He stopped for a second and looked at the massive ice door before he went over to a staircase that leads down to the dungeons. He liked to walk around down there, the dim hallways and the many secret passageways there were down there. He walked over to a tapestry and looked around before he moved it a little. Behind it was a hidden hallway. He walked in behind the tapestry and walked down the dark hallway. When he had walked a little he could suddenly hear voices, he thought all were at the dinner in the Ice Hall. Behind a door that Jan knew led into a study room he could hear 3 voices, what sounded like a male and two female voices. He stopped and put his ear to the door, so he could better hear.

"It must be here somewhere," the male voice said. He sounded frustrated and angry.

"I bet Goldenheart has removed it or something," one of the female voices said.

"He can't, Charna, I've already told you. Only the true heir can touch the book without getting hurt," the male voice said.

"What about you know downstairs. I've heard there're catacombs under the school, which only Lupinus students can enter," the other female voice said.

"I've thought about it, Beatrice," the male voice said.

"It would be great to see what's down there," the voice of Charna said.

"Yeah, I've been here for almost 7 years and I've never found a way down there," the male voice said. The two girls laughed.

"Well I bet it's hidden down there, Arne," Beatrice said. Jan was stuck, he couldn't move, his interest was awaken and wanted to know what the three students were talking about.

"I would really like to get my hands on the book before I leave school, could really improve my chances," Arne said.

"You're sure there are no other possible students here who could be the rightful heir," Charna said. A grunt came from the boy.

"I doubt it, half the school is full with mud bloods," Arne said.

"If that first year is the heir, then I don't know what I'll do," he said.

"What first year?" Beatrice said.

"That girl from Arctos, can't remember her name, she's my cousin or something, we don't speak of her in the family," Arne said.

"Oh why not," Charna asked.

"She's a half breed, you know Muggle father, witch for a mother," Arne said.

"You're related to people who've….who've married a Muggle," Beatrice whispered.

"Yes can you believe it; my mum is so embarrassed that her sister married a Muggle. She comes from a long line of witches and wizards, all pure bloods," Arne said.

"But can an heir be a half-blood," Charna asked.

"I hope not, it would be disgraceful to the memory of my ancestor," Arne said.

"Ssshhhh, did you hear that," Charna said.

"What?" Beatrice asked.

"It came from outside the door," Charna said. Jan moved his ear away from the door and looked around and noticed a statue not far from there and hurried down to hide behind it. Shortly after the door opened. Jan was afraid of looking.

"I'm sure I heard something," the voice of Charna said.

"We better get up to the Ice Hall before any of the professors figure out we're gone," the voice of Arne said. The two females agreed with him and Jan could hear their footsteps as they walked away. When their footsteps had disappeared, Jan looked if the coast was clear. He couldn't see anyone. He hurried up to the dormitories, while his mind racing, what had they been talking about, a book, what kind of book could it be?

Jan hurried up to Cygneus' common room. The rest of the students hadn't returned from the Halloween feast yet, so Jan found a chair in a dark corner and sat down. His mind was racing, what was it all about? And who were the older kids talking about in that abandoned classroom. He decided that he would try and find out, what they were up to. Jan sat in his own thoughts when the door opened and the students rushed in. Some sat down in the various chairs and couches; others went up to the dormitories. Jan looked up and studied the different students. He noticed the girls from his year, they had found a group of chairs and now they joyfully talked and laughing. One of the girls looked over at him and she smiled to him.

"Want to join us, Jan?" the girl said. She had dark blond curly hair and blue eyes. Jan looked at her for a little while, like the words had to sink in, then he shook his head. The girl shrugged her shoulders and returned to the conversation with the other girls. Jan decided to go upstairs; the common room was too crowded for his taste.

The next day was windy and most students stayed inside, unless you had Quidditch practise, but Jan hadn't any Quidditch practise, so he could spend the day as he wanted. He had done his homework for next week, so he had nothing else to do than to walk around. He had made a plan over how to find out what the three students from the evening before could be observed. So early that morning, went Jan downstairs and took a seat at the Cygneus table and ate a little breakfast. He had brought a book in case he had to wait for a while, but he didn't have to. Shortly after he had finished his breakfast, he saw the two girls from the evening before entering the Ice Hall in a whispering discussion. They walked over to the Lupinus table and sat down, where they started to eat breakfast. A couple of minutes later the boy also entered and walked over to the two girls and sat down. Jan could hear they were discussing something, but he couldn't hear what they were talking about. He pretended to read his book, while he glanced at the three students.

"Morning, Jan," a girl's voice said next to him. Jan was startled, he hadn't noticed the other students entering the Ice Hall, when Jan looked up he saw a girl from his house.

"Morning, Tari," he said and glanced over at the Lupinus table. The girl, who had spoken to him, sat down next to him and started to take some cereal. She started to talk, but Jan wasn't listening, he was too concentrated about the three students at the Lupinus table.

"Morning, guys," another voice said. This time it was the girl who had spoken to Jan common room last night.

"Morning, Melissa," Tari said with a smile. Jan didn't say anything as he hadn't noticed Melissa. Melissa glanced at Jan for a second, and then she sat down upper sit him, so he lost his sight of the three students.

"What are you looking at, Jan?" Melissa asked and looked in the same direction as Jan did.

"What? Oh nothing," he said and looked into his book, he was furious, but he hid it. The last thing he wanted was getting into an argument.

"Yes you were," Melissa said, "you were looking at the Lupinus table."

"No I wasn't," Jan said.

"What ever," Melissa said and gave up; instead she started on her breakfast. Jan couldn't keep an eye on the three students anymore, so he decided to go out and wait outside the Ice Hall. He took his book and got up.

"See you later," he said shortly and left the Ice Hall.

When he got outside he bumped into another student.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"No problem, Jan," the voice said. When Jan saw who it was, he noticed it was Trym, from the Arctos house.

"Hey Trym," Jan said. It was the only guy in his year he could talk to sort of. Trym hadn't asked him too many questions about his life and gave him space when he needed it.

"Doing anything special today," Trym asked.

"No, think I'll take a walk," Jan said.

"Cool, I've got some homework I have to go through," Trym said with a groan. The two boys said goodbye to each other and Trym went in to get some breakfast, while Jan took at seat on the ice stairs and opened his book. He hadn't sat long, before the door went up and the three students came out.

"Let's meet at the same place as last night, say in 10 minutes time?" the boy said.

"Okay," the girls said. Jan sat quiet as a mouse, pretending he wasn't there.

"Oy, what are you sitting there for, it's not allowed to sit on the stairs boy," one of the girls said. She had a sign with a P on her chest, so Jan knew at once she was a Prefect.

Jan looked up from his book, which he pretended to read.

"I didn't know that," he said and got up.

"I should take some points from you, for breaking the rules," the girl said with a smirk.

"No you don't," a boy behind Jan said. Jan turned around and saw a boy walk down the stairs.

"Uh, well if it isn't Bobby Makupa," the girl said.

"You know Beatrice; I think you and your wolf pack should vanish. You're very close to loosing your prefect badge if you continue harassing the younger students. Besides you can sit anywhere you like and you know that, B," Bobby said. Beatrice looked harshly at Bobby.

"You know Bobby, I wouldn't be so high and mighty if I were you," the boy from Lupinus said.

"Oh and why not Arne?" Bobby asked with a big grin.

"Aren't you a muggleborn?" Arne asked. Bobby looked rather puzzled.

"What's that got to do with it?"

"Well just let me say that it's not a good thing to be one of those, you see before long it won't be so safe for you as you might think," Arne said with a smirk. Then the three Lupinus students turned around and walked away. Bobby stood for a while looking rather concerned after the three. Then he walked down to Jan.

"Are you alright?" Bobby asked. Jan nodded. His mind again raced like crazy, who were those three students. Apparently they weren't the most pleasant people to be around.

"If they try and pull a stunt like that on you again, then report it to your Head of House," Bobby said, before he entered the Ice Hall.

"We have to find a way down there," Arne said. He sat in a big armchair, he had folded his hands and placed them on his right knee.

"But how?" Beatrice asked. She sat in a big couch next to her sister Charna.

"I don't know, but we might be able to dig up some information about the catacombs, perhaps the library," Arne said, he got up from his chair and walked over to the door and placed his hand on the door knob, ready to open the door.

"I don't know if we'll find much there, you know how Goldenheart is about these things, I'm sure he's hidden all books about it," Charna said.

"Maybe, but he's a fool, so it wouldn't surprise me if he's forgotten some of the books," Beatrice and got up. Arne opened the door and was ready to go out, when a boy fell in through the open doorway. The three Lupinus students looked surprised at the boy.

"Well if it isn't the first year from the stairs," Arne said and dragged the boy up by his collar.

"Let go of me," Jan said, but Arne had a good grip in Jan, so he wouldn't run off.

"You're a little sneaky one, listening to private conversations, what should we do with you?" Beatrice said and walked over to Arne and Jan by the door. She grabbed the book, the boy had been holding and read it.

"Not quite what I had imagined," Beatrice said and showed the book to Arne, he laughed.

"Interested in the dark arts are we? I hadn't imagined Ms. Jonson lent out books like that to first years," Arne said.

"It's not the library's, it's mine," Jan said, still trying to get out of Arne's grip.

"Well, well," Beatrice said with a smirk, she looked at Jan for a second before she turned to Arne.

"We could use him," she said. Arne looked at Beatrice for a second before he took a good look at Jan, he was thinking.

"We could, close the door B," Arne said and dragged Jan into the room. He dropped him into one of the armchairs.

"Want to join us in a little quest," Arne asked and looked down at Jan, who sat shivering in the big armchair.

"I I don't know," Jan began.

"Sure you know, you're interested in what we're doing aren't you?" Arne said with a smirk.

"Well if you help us, we can promise you, you'll get something out of it, everything you've ever wanted," Beatrice said. Jan looked at the three Lupinus students.

"Promise?"

"Yes, we promise," Arne said.

"So what do you say, want to help us a little?" Beatrice asked. Jan sat for a moment thinking about the offer.

"Okay, I'll help you."

"Great! Meet us outside the library tonight at seven," Arne said.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8 – Days of Snow**

In mid-November the first Quidditch match took place. It was between Arctos and Lupinus. The whole school looked forward to the game. The seven players from Arctos were never in the common room at night, they spend every evening in a corner of a classroom talking strategies. Colette, Nita, Christina and Susie sat in the common room the evening before the big Quidditch match and chit chatted. They had desided to drop the homework as it would be impossible to concentrate when everyone in the Arctos house were so loud. Bets had been made and Trym was almost attacked by the older Arctos students when he wanted to bet on Lupinus to win, but he was rescued by the girl Amara, from second year. Apparently the students didn't dare to come across Amara. Now Trym sat in a corner and looking around like a mouse who was in a room filled with cats. He didn't sit alone though, a boy from their year sat in a chair next to him, talking loudly about the quidditch match tomorrow. First time Susie got to talk with the boy next to Trym was a couple of weeks ago, when he was thrown out of the library by a group of Lupinus students and he bumped into Susie down the hall. She could remember she had just said hi to Jan, who was going down towards the library. But this boy couldn't stop talking about Quidditch and was a really pain in a certain behind.

"I'm going to try out for Quidditch next year, that's for sure," he said between his ramble about quidditch. Then he tried to convince Susie to do the same, but she refused. She didn't want to approach a broom if her life depented on it. She had enough with the flying lessons and she already knew that brooms weren't her cup of tea. Luckily she was recued by Trym who had approached them, and he had noticed the sour face of Susie. So he had dragged off with the boy. And now the boy again sat and spoke loudly about the match tomorrow.

"Patrick couldn't you just for once shut it with al your Quidditch, it's annoying," Amara yelled from the other side of the room. The boy who had been babbling for the last half hour turned bright red and shut his mouth and glared over at Amara, who had turned back to the girls she was talking to.

"I hope we win," Colette said, she looked up from the potion book she was studying. She had borrowed it at the library the other day.

"Can't we talk about something else, than Quidditch," Susie asked. She was starting to get tired of all the Quidditch talk.

"Yeah, let's, " Christina said and looked up from the book, she was trying to read.

"Hey have you heard what Sydney, from Cygneus told the other day?" Colette asked. The three girls shook their heads.

"Well, she had gotten a letter from her sister who attends school at Hogwarts," Colette continued.

"Well apparently under their Halloween feast, their Defense Against the Dark Arts professer entered the Great Hall, screaming about a troll. So they all had to be rescued," Colette said.

"A troll? But how did it get into the school, they're really dumb and wouldn't be able to come in by their own," Nita said and looked rather puzzled by the story.

"I don't know, Sydney's sister said there were some rumours about their potion professor had did it, but she wasn't sure if the rumours were true. A girl almost lost her life, when she was attacked by the troll," Colette said.

"Wow, did they catch it?" Christina asked.

"Well that's the most amasing thing, you never guess who caught it," Colette said and smiled.

"Who?" Susie asked.

"Harry Potter and a friend of his," Colette said.

"HARRY POTTER!" Nita screamed out. The other in the common room looked over at the four girls.

"Yeah and they're only first years, just like us. Can't believe that a first year student could catch a troll," Colette said.

"Wow," Susie said again in amazement. The talk about the boy who lived had been discussed a great deal ever since Sydney had revealed that he had started at Hogwarts a couple of months ago. Susie hadn't known much about him before she started school, but it was an interesting subject.

"I'm sure I could do it," a male voice sounded next to Susie. She looked up and once again saw the boy by the name of Patrick. He had blond hair and a pretty face.

"Do what?" Colette asked in a rather annoying voice, she looked at the boy with pitched eyes.

"Kill a troll," Patrick said and looked at the four girls after turn. His blue eyes shimmered with exitement over the pure thought.

"They didn't kill it, they just knocked it out," Colette said and shook her head before she got up from her chair.

"I'm off to bed, want to be fresh for tomorrow," she said and said goodnight to the other girls before walking over to the stairs that lead up to the girls' dormitories.

"Think I'll go too," Susie said, she wasn't tired but she just had to get away from that Patrick guy who really started to get on her nerves. But she wasn't the only one who left, Nita and Christina followed her up to the dormitories and back was the boy with a surprised expression on his face when they left.

The next morning the Ice Hall was humming with excitement as the students ate their breakfast. The game was set at 11 am and the Quidditch captain for Arctos had promised clear weather for the match, but apparently he hadn't gotten the prognoses from a reliable source as it was snowing heavily and a wind had started to rise when Susie, Colette, Nita and Christina was walking across the lawn towards the Quidditch pitch.

"I wonder who he had heard it would be clear weather today," Colette said, she was hugging herself trying to get some warmth in the process, but the wind was ice cold and started to bite in their noses. When they reached the Quidditch stands they chose four spots where they could stand up, it would be too cold to sit in this weather. Shortly before the players appeared on the Quidditch pitch a voice sounded over the stadium.

"Good Morning and welcome to this term's first quidditch match. It's between Lupinus and Arctos and now the two teams apear on the pitch," the voice said. Susie looked around to see if she could spot the owner of the voice, then she got a nutch from Christina who had been looking for the same. Susie followed her finger and saw a boy, she hadn't noticed before sitting in a box on his own near the teachers' stands.

"That's Michael Maan," Colette said, when she noticed Susie's and Christina's looks towards the commentator.

"He's a third year from Cygneus," Nita said.

"And let's introduce the two teams, there are a couple of new comers on both teams. On Arctos' team we still have the Bradshawl as captain and he's gotten his sister on the team as well, Lucy Bradshawl is a promissing Quidditch player, she's quick on a broom and got the perfect size as a seeker. Peter Flemming is still the keeper and then they've gotten a new chaser, Jennifer Golden. Arctos still have Anita as chaser and the two Maddock brothers as beaters," Michael yelled acros the stadium.

"He's called Madhouse," Colette said and pointed at the smallest of the beaters. Susie wanted to know why he was called Madhouse, but then Michael started to talk again.

"Lupinus only have one new player on their team this year, it's Mina Mork who's replacing Karl Koon as chaser, Gustav Gustavson is still captain for the team. It'll be an interesting battle between the newcomer Lucy Bradshawl and the more experienced seeker, Gustav," Michael said.

"And now Professer Airborn has started the match," Michael continued as the professor had released the balls. Susie tried to follow the game, but it went so fast that she had a hard time to figure out what happened. The game went back and forth, Arctos had scored three times when Lupinus got their first goal. When the they had played for about 15 minutes the wind got more and more cold and it got more windy and it didn't take long before they couldn't see what happened up in the air, they could barely hear Michael's voice for the wind, but then they could hear a loud chear from the Lupinus' stands.

"And Lupinus has won the game with 250 over Arctos' 120. Gustav got the snitch in front of Lucy Bradshawl," Michael's last remark was. The Arctos students looked confused at each other, they hadn't been able to see what happen due to the heavy snow fall, but as the result started to sink in the faces soon showed dissapointment over the loss.

"What happened do you think?" Christina asked as they started to walk back towards the school.

"I don't know, but it was hard to see anything," Colette said. They were halfway back to the school when a sudden wind took in Susie's scarf and it blew away.

"Ah, darn," Susie said and started to run after the scarf that kept on flying.

"Susie, stop you shouldn't go after it," Colette's voice sounded, but Susie didn't hear it, she kept following the scarf. Her grandmother had knitted it shortly before she had died and Susie didn't want to loose it. Unfortunately she had forgotten the number one rule at the school when it came to snow. Never go out alone in a blizzard. She could hear someone call her name, but she kept running. The scarf dissapeared in between some trees and when she finally caught up with it, it hang from a branch on a big tree. She grabbed the scarf and tied it around her neck before she turned around and walk back to the school, but she got a shock when she saw the view in front of her. There was no castle, just snow. She looked around, she could see the trees behind her, there was about four big trees, but the castle was gone.

"Hello, anyone," she yelled. She started to take some steps back from where she came, she looked down to see if she could see her own footsteps, but they were already gone. The wind was icy and it felt like knives against her face. She had walked for what had felt like a long time when she spotted a red spot not far ahead. She started to run towards it and she saw it was Colette who had fallen and now took to her left ankle.

"I tripped over something," she said in a sopping voice. Susie grabbed Colette, so she could lean on Susie, but she couldn't because of the snow that now reached their knees.

"I'm so sorry that I just ran off," Susie said in a scared voice. She was freezing and she didn't know where the castle was.

"We can't stay out here for long or we'll freeze to death," Colette said in a sad voice.

"There were some trees back there," Susie said and pointed towards the spot where the trees were. She could still see their siluets in the distance.

"I don't know if I can walk over there, but it's better than nothing," Colette said. But the two girls didn't reach the trees before they ran out of strengths.

"What now?" Susie asked.

"We'll rest before we go on," Colette said and sat down.

The wind grew and the snow fell over the two girls like white powder. Was this the end? Susie thought, wouldn't she be able to even finish her first term at her new school, what would her parents say. Now she sat in the snow hugging her friend, Colette, trying to get some warmth. Why did she have to run after that scarf, it was only a scarf, but it was one her beloved grandmother had knitted.


End file.
